Ralph Bishop: Tracks That Shaped My Sound

Ralph Bishop has fronted bands since the early age of 11, immersing himself into music from day dot. He draws from a plethora of influences whether it be the Zombies or the Beatles, it's a wealth of influenced that is perfectly infused into his music. Ralph has commented on life as a solo artist stating 'As a solo artist I have had far more room for experimentation, with more of an ethereal sound, and more keyboard led songs'.

His latest release Solstice has been a mainstay in the studio, it's also accompanied by an amazing music video that contrasts between light and dark, day and night. We spoke to him about the tracks that shaped his sound, we hope you enjoy them as much as we did:

How Soon is Now - The Smiths

I love the way this song explores different sounds, effects and textures. This can particularly be seen in Johnny Marr’s guitar playing, where effects, such as tremolos and delays etcetera give this track an eerie quality, which I tried to incorporate, particularly in my song’s guitar solo. Unusually, The Smiths’ lyrics take the perspective of the outsider, as opposed to being about love. Though not explicitly being about an outsider, I do have a pensive approach to lyric writing, this particular song I wrote concerning the awareness of time passing.

Wild is the Wind – David Bowie

Though this is a cover, David Bowie really makes this song his own, his vocal performance in this song demonstrating his immense command over his vocal range. I like to think I managed to capture the song’s wistful quality in my own. Beyond this, I love David Bowie’s remarkable ability to change not only his persona but his musical identity, which is something I look to do in my own writing in which I explore different genres and ideas rather than being tied down to a niche.

Accidents Will Happen – Elvis Costello

Unlike many songs on this lists, this is very much a classic, catchy upbeat song, which was typical of Elvis Costello at the time. I love the way this song explores changes in feel and bristles with melodic ideas, creating a sense of optimism and emotional depth. Though my song is very much a wistful, even slightly dark ballad, I try in write in a way that offers some optimism, may it be through tempo changes or new melodic ideas melodic ideas.

Hung Upon a Dream – The Zombies

This song is from The Zombie’s seminal Odyssey and Oracle album. I remember being obsessed with this album at the age of four on holiday to Wales and nothing has changed since. This song is the epitome of 60s’ Psychedelia from the ghostly opening statement on piano, the jangly guitars, the mellotron and the angelic voice of Colin Blunstone. Though this song is not necessarily the most direct influence, this album, including this song, is so poignant that it has to be a staple upon this list, as it would be a harbinger for my musical endeavors to follow.

Mykonos – The Fleet Foxes

Now for something slightly more contemporary, I have chosen Mykonos by The Fleet Foxes. I love the way this song combines elements of folk and popular music. The opening acoustic guitar riff instantly hooks you in and the acoustic guitar understates the song as it leads to somewhere entirely unexpected, not following the traditional verse-chorus structure. This is something I try and do in my compositions by going on a musical journey as opposed to going by a formula or repeating ideas. Another thing I admire is the lush and expansive use of harmonies in their songs, which conjures monastic, medieval images, as though you are being taken on a spiritual journey. I also try to create a sense of imagery in my songs, both lyrically and musically, rather than banging out meaningless, cliché-ridden ideas.